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63 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, September 17, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend August 26, 2004 Dead birds carried the West Nile Virus By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune Dead birds found in Medford, Central Point and Eagle Point have tested positive for the West Nile virus, officials said Wednesday. Oregon State University tests confirmed the presence of the virus in three scrub jays and a crow from Jackson County, said Eugene Papineau, manager of the county’s Vector Control program. "It’s a good, early indicator of (West Nile’s) spread through the county," he said. "It looks like (infected) birds could be found in all parts of the valley." The discoveries come on the heels of the Rogue Valley’s first confirmed case of the virus. Last week, a dead jay found near Rogue River tested positive for West Nile. Papineau said two infected birds were found in south Medford, on private property near Stewart Avenue and Old Stage Road. Another was found near a home in north Central Point, near Interstate 5. The fourth dead bird was found by a property owner on Alta Vista Road near Eagle Point. Advertisement Although the Rogue Valley has been bitten by the West Nile virus, Papineau said residents should not panic, since humans can only become infected after being bitten by a mosquito that is carrying the virus. Since June, the county has tested thousands of mosquitoes for the virus, and have yet to find a single one that has been infected. "If mosquitoes become infected, then there’s more of a threat to human health," Papineau said. Mosquito traps are being set in and around the areas where infected birds have been found, he said. Now that OSU tests have confirmed multiple cases of West Nile virus in the Rogue Valley, the county will take over testing of dead birds. Papineau said 30 birds from Jackson County have been tested this year, with five confirmed cases. Testing of mosquitoes will continue into early fall, Papineau said. "This year, we’ll go until the weather stops us or the mosquitoes go away," he said. To reduce the chance of being bitten by mosquitoes, health officials recommend people wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants to reduce skin exposure. Exposed skin should be treated with insect repellent containing DEET. Most human infections are mild, with fever and flu-like symptoms, according to the state Department of Human Services. More severe infections may cause brain swelling and in rare instances, death. So far this year, 843 people nationwide have contracted the virus, resulting in 20 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Six of those deaths occurred in California, the most of any state. Elsewhere in Oregon, West Nile virus has been detected in a crow and three horses in the eastern part of the state. Twenty-one Oregon residents have been checked for the virus, with none of them testing positive, according to DHS. Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities